Welcome to StewardShip

Your free trial and membership will be finalized when you check out.

*Bordeaux Futures, Wine Clubs and Corporate Gifts are not eligible. Applies to standard shipping, which is quite speedy! Expedited shipping available at discounted rates for StewardShip members.Learn More

Winemaker's Notes

A blend of 67% Cabernet Franc and 33% Merlot.

In contrast to our other Right Bank reserve level wine, Bourriquot features more fine-grained tannins, becoming more elegant early in life than the robust flavors of the Carneros Merlot. The 2003 continues this style, opening with lively tobacco flower and cherry aromas that explode in the mouth. The mid-palate is refined, moderately full and is followed by an expanding, long finish that offers firm, ripe cherries and adds a licorice note. It has firm tannins that support the substantial fleshiness and should assure a good development in the bottle for many years. Bourriquot is unique in California, a wine based on Cabernet Franc and Merlot that attempts to celebrate those grapes' native character, not cover it over.

"Havens' version of Bordeaux's famed Cheval Blanc, the 2003 Bourriquot (a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot), is not as strong as the 2002, but possesses elegant, cedary spice box, tobacco, and smoky notes, and medium-bodied cherry and black currant flavors with hints of oak and spice in the background. Although the finish is short, it is an elegant, round red to drink over the next 6-7 years." 88 PointsWine AdvocateDecember 2005

Havens Wine Cellars Winery

Founded in 1984 by winemaker Michael Havens, Havens Wine Cellars have earned distinction for its Merlot, Syrah and their Bordeaux-style red blend called Bouriquot.

Havens Wine Cellars is located just south of Yountville and a short quieting drive off Highway 29, Napa Valley’s main winery tour route. The pastoral 10-acre site located on the Mayacamas benchland includes a 7½ acre vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah grapes lovingly tended.

Our own estate vineyard on Hoffman Lane, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, is an interesting variation on the south Napa Valley vineyard characteristics we value so much. First, we are actually in a little warmer spot here than many of our other vineyards because we sit close to the Mayacamas foothills, slightly in their lee from the prevailing south wind. This means that our daily cooling from the marine airflow is a bit delayed, keeping us warmer for an hour or two longer than vineyards even a few miles east. On the other hand, since we sit on the east-facing slope, we don’t get the full heat of the afternoon sun like vineyards just across the Valley, five miles away in the Stags Leap District. All this combines to define what is called the “diurnal range,” or the daily swing of temperature and wind, and we think it is the single most important factor in a vineyard’s terroir. Our soils here on Hoffman Lane are deep, but include a lot of gravel in the clay loam, and thus they can dry out quickly without drip irrigation. We are still learning the subtleties of farming this site, but have found Syrah here especially well-adapted to the place.
View all Havens Wine Cellars Wines

About Other California

California has nearly 100 American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) and accounts for almost 90% of wine production in the United States. In our section of Other California, we include wines from smaller AVAs as well as wines from the California AVA. Here are a few smaller AVAs you may see on the label:

Livermore Valley AVA

, located right outside of San Francisco and home to wineries such as Wente.

Lodi County AVA

, an AVA further east of San Francisco and known for its excellent, old-vine Zinfandels.

San Francisco Bay AVA

, a sprawling AVA that covers Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, to name a few.
Wine that holds only the California AVA is typically a wine that includes grapes from a number of different AVAs, which leads to the general labeling of the wine as California. This does not denote the quality of the wine, only the diversity of where the grapes originate.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Crisp

Light to medium bodied wines that are high in acid and light to medium fruit. Typically no oak.